# Artists Who Were Homeless? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 18, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704 "2019-06-18T18:29:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/1 "2019-06-18T18:29:43Z")
The bigger, the better (I guess)… Jim Morrison is one who comes to mind, living on a rooftop in the summer right before he met Ray Manzarek and formed The Doors… Many dedicated artists go through hard times, especially if they are adamant about their art and refuse to do “regular” jobs. I respect anyone who makes their own path, or refuse to join The Establishment. Sometimes, it happens after the success, Danny Kirwan for example. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/2 "2019-06-18T19:15:52Z")
Grammy-award winner Jewel was poor growing up and lived in her car while trying to launch her career. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/3 "2019-06-18T19:35:26Z")
Halsey was homeless, though I think it was mostly in a technical sense. Her parents kicked her out of their house but it sounds like she was able to find places to sleep and wasn’t sleeping on the streets most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/4 "2019-06-18T19:37:22Z")
Hitler. "In 1907 Hitler left Linz to live and study fine art in Vienna, financed by orphan’s benefits and support from his mother. He applied for admission to the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna but was rejected twice.[39][40] The director suggested Hitler should apply to the School of Architecture, but he lacked the necessary academic credentials because he had not finished secondary school.[41] On 21 December 1907, his mother died of breast cancer at the age of 47. In 1909 Hitler ran out of money and was forced to live a bohemian life in homeless shelters and a men’s dormitory.[42][43] He earned money as a casual labourer and by painting and selling watercolours of Vienna’s sights.[39]" > **[Adolf Hitler | Early adulthood in Vienna and Munich](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler#Early_adulthood_in_Vienna_and_Munich)** > > In 1907, Hitler left Linz to live and study fine art in Vienna, financed by orphan's benefits and support from his mother. He applied for admission to the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna but was rejected twice. The director suggested Hitler should apply to the School of Architecture, but he lacked the necessary academic credentials because he had not finished secondary school. > On 21 December 1907, his mother died of breast cancer at the age of 47, when he himself was 18. In 1909, Hitler ran out of m... ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/5 "2019-06-18T19:49:45Z")
How loosely are you defining “artist”? Because the actor Chris Pratt was homeless for a time in Maui. ---
**Author:** ![Helmut\_Doork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e8c25b/32.png) [@Helmut\_Doork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helmut_Doork)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/6 "2019-06-18T19:55:44Z")
In Morrison’s case, the homelessness was by choice, big difference to actual nowhere else to go homelessness- many famous beatniks in the 50’s and 60’s led a similar nomadic lifestyle, but had families to turn to if really needed. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/7 "2019-06-18T20:43:59Z")
Joe Strummer, in pre-Clash days, was part of the [101ers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_101ers). > [@](#): > > The group was named after the squat where they lived together: 101 Walterton Road, Maida Vale Tho living in a sqaut isn’t exactly homeless, I suppose. I seem to remember that John Lydon also lived in a squat for a while, and that some of his artwork on the walls is still preserved. I also remember seeing an interview with Jeanette Winterson where she described how she lived in a car for a while. j ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/8 "2019-06-18T21:20:58Z")
Jean-Michel Basquiat “transitioned from being homeless and unemployed to selling a single painting for up to $25,000 in a matter of several years” (from Wiki; I’m lazy). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/9 "2019-06-18T21:37:09Z")
Jack London wrote of his time living homeless in the slums of London in [_The People of the Abyss._](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_People_of_the_Abyss) London’s work inspired George Orwell, who described his time as a tramp, living in hostels and Salvation Army shelters, in [_Down and Out in Paris and London_.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_and_Out_in_Paris_and_London) (However, both probably had alternatives, and lived homeless partly by choice in order to experience poverty first hand.) ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/10 "2019-06-18T21:41:03Z")
Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller has talked on his podcast about how he spent time as a teenager hitchhiking and living essentially homeless. He qualifies that by saying his parents were still there at his childhood home, and he could have gone back if he wanted to. He’s said it was an important time in his life. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/11 "2019-06-18T21:47:14Z")
Bruce Springsteen had no fixed address for several years after dropping out of college and until he started making it in the music business. His family had moved out west, and while he was working regularly as a musician, he never made quite enough to afford rent. A lot of the time, he stayed at a friend’s surfboard factory in Asbury Park. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/12 "2019-06-18T21:55:00Z")
Dan O’Bannon went broke while they were trying to film _Dune_ and ended up sleeping on a friend’s couch for a few weeks before he decided he had to do something, so he wrote _Alien._ Things have gone pretty well since then. ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/13 "2019-06-18T22:25:22Z")
> [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > In Morrison’s case, the homelessness was by choice, big difference to actual nowhere else to go homelessness- many famous beatniks in the 50’s and 60’s led a similar nomadic lifestyle, but had families to turn to if really needed. I agree, but I think he also wanted to split from his parents. The letter from his father telling him to “Get a job” was the last contact he had with him (and he did talk to his mother in '67 on the phone, and she and Jim’s brother came to the show in DC). He was on that rooftop until he saw Ray, who let him stay at his house… Jim’s sister says (only interview on YouTube) that she’d cry all night thinking he’d be homeless forever. ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/14 "2019-06-18T22:47:43Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Jack London wrote of his time living homeless in the slums of London in [_The People of the Abyss._](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_People_of_the_Abyss) > > London’s work inspired George Orwell, who described his time as a tramp, living in hostels and Salvation Army shelters, in [_Down and Out in Paris and London_.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_and_Out_in_Paris_and_London) > > (However, both probably had alternatives, and lived homeless partly by choice in order to experience poverty first hand.) Thanks for the reminder - I thought I had this book (never read it). Will get it soon. Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/15 "2019-06-18T23:37:22Z")
Jerry Garcia spent some time homeless in the early 60s. There’s a well-known story of him living in his car for a week or so, subsisting on a giant can of pineapples that he had somehow acquired. Actually I know someone who’s brother played banjo with Jerry back then, and Jerry crashed on their couch for a couple of weeks, until their mother kicked the bum out of the house. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/16 "2019-06-19T12:56:35Z")
Wesley Willis was homeless/schizophrenic but talented. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/17 "2019-06-19T13:09:02Z")
Bob Dylan came to New York with no plans outside of making it in the folk music business. He lived in doorways for a while until securing his first recording contract. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/18 "2019-06-19T13:32:25Z")
Composer Harry Partch spent several years in the 1930 as a railroad hobo. The text for _Barstow_ came from inscriptions he found at a popular hitchhiking spot near Barstow, California. If you were a fan of Dr. Demento, you’ve heard it (part of it, at least). ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/19 "2019-06-19T13:53:17Z")
Canadian singer and song-writer Stompin’ Tom Connors (The Hockey Song is probably his most famous song) spent most of his teens and 20s as a hobo - taking whatever odd jobs he could get, riding the rails, hoping to get arrested so he could sleep in a warm jail cell, the whole lot - until he was given a steady gig as a musician in Timmins in the early 60s. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704/20 "2019-06-19T14:12:44Z")
Biggest names I’d heard of that were homeless were Jim Carrey and Jewel. I Googled Jim Carrey homelessness just so I could verify before posting, and found this article: [http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/07/11/stars-who-were-once-homeless/](http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/07/11/stars-who-were-once-homeless/) I’m surprised by how big some of the celebrities on this list are! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-were-homeless/835704.md?page=2)